Official · Document · NASA
French Pilots Reported Strange Encounters. Experts Investigated
Accounts from former pilots prompted a French group to examine the reports and warn of practical challenges for pilots.
In brief
Former pilots described encounters with things they couldn’t identify. A French group reviewed the accounts and warned that the reports raised practical challenges for pilots.
Summary
An English-language translation of the COMETA Report ('UFOs and Defense: What Should We Prepare For?'), a 1999 independent French study on UFOs by COMETA (Comité d'Etudes Approfondies / Committee for In-Depth Studies), an association of former senior auditors of the Institut des Hautes Etudes de Défense Nationale (IHEDN) and qualified experts. The 90-page report (originally published in the French magazine VSD in July 1999) reviews remarkable French and foreign UFO/UAP cases, the work of GEPAN/SEPRA at CNES, hypotheses (including the extraterrestrial hypothesis as 'by far the best scientific hypothesis'), and lays out strategic, aeronautical, scientific, political/religious, and media implications, ending with concrete recommendations to French and European authorities. The PDF in this corpus is preceded by an April 30, 2001 cover letter from Carol Rosin (former spokesperson for Wernher von Braun) to 'Dan' [Goldin] and includes appended press articles by Leslie Kean (2000-2001).
Incidents in the document
- 1977-03-07 · Dijon flyover, returning to Luxeuil, France · Page 13
Mirage IV crew encountered a 'very bright glow' at 3 o'clock at altitude 9600 m, Mach 0.9; the object came on a collision course, repeatedly maneuvered to position behind the aircraft; pilot performed 6.5g evasive turn; ground radar (Contrexéville) had no contact; no sonic boom detected despite supersonic apparent speeds.